So You Think You Can Dance Episode Recap and My Take – Season 6, Audition 1 (Los Angeles)

Season 5 Final Performance Show

Season 5 Winner Announced

Very slick that they accompanied the fact this season is starting in the Fall with clips of past auditions where people fell. Also, Cat seems to be losing her voice and I like her much better that way! Not that I dislike her, but at some point last season she began to grate on my nerves, I cannot completely articulate why.

I decided to do my overview in categories instead of chronologically so it is easier to see who made it and what I thought of them so I can refer back later…and you can too if you want to. Also, this season they appear to have shown a LOT less of the auditions, at least so far. Normally 2 days in L.A. would have been 2 hours if I remember correctly. It just felt like we saw a lot less, not that I mind a lot less scariness!! Also, as usual, I didn’t add much of the personal tidbits they shared…sorry, just not my thing, I focus on the dancing.

The guest judge for Los Angeles was Adam Shankman.

Straight Through to Vegas

Molly Gray (Contemporary) – She is from Utah. She was a principal dancer in all 3 of the HSM movies. Her family moved to LA and struggles so she can dance. She crammed in a bit more than I would like, I sensed nervousness. She reminds me of a cross between Caitlyn and Jeanine. The judges love her, Adam said “She is so this show” while she was dancing. Nigel encouraged her to be sure she connects with the audience and that her personality shows through.

Ryan Kasprzak (Tap) – Evan from last season’s brother. We all know he makes it to Vegas because they showed it during Season 5. He did a great spoken word tap piece. (Normally no music and him talking here and there would scare me—see the first guy ander SCARY below—but he sells it big time.) Adam drooled on him essentially. Adam and Nigel thought it was one of the best auditions ever. Nigel also commented that he has grown as a person. I agree, he seemed to have way more confidence than before. Frankly, I find him cute…is he single? Yes, I have a crush.

Bianca Revels (Tap) – After being eliminated during Vegas week last season she said she wasn’t going to come back. They had her take on Ryan in a tap battle. She threw in some great flare. Awesome awesomeness!! I was pissed off at her and her attitude when she got eliminated in Vegas last season, but she won me back, I hope her new attitude continues.

Amber Williams (Contemporary) – She is from Yucaipa and her mother is paralyzed from the waist down and she helps take care of her. There was something very raw about her dancing; and something awkward too, but in a good contemporary dance way. I really liked her a lot, she felt connected to her performance. Nigel also talked to her about making a connection to the audience. They all really liked her a lot.

Christina Santana (Salsa) – She performed with her partner who was not auditioning. They incorporated some hip-hop type moves and I understand why, but it felt awkward. They definitely did some cool tricks, the rest was good but not as good as Janette! She was still good though. Nigel was upset the partner was not interested in being on the show. She apparently also does ballet, jazz and belly dancing.

Phillip Attmore (Tap) – Yet another tapper. He was roomies with Ryan Kasprzak on tour with Fosse. He is really good and has a lot of personality. He seems so at ease and joyous when he is dancing. I really liked him. His smile could brighten up an entire theatre. The judges agreed, loved him like me. Nigel said he thinks this is the year for tap to really succeed. (I sense a tap battle at least at some point during the season, like they did Season 4 with poppers Robert Muraine and Phillip Chbeeb.)

There were 5 dancers they showed brief clips of their routines who made it straight through, they were David Hovhannisyan, Amanda Kirby, Brandon Dumlau, Alexi eAgdeppa, and Paula van Oppen (I loved her, I wish they had shown her entire piece, she reminded me a bit of Katie Shean from Season 4).

Through to Vegas after Choreography

The choreography round this season for auditions is some sort of ballroom with Pasha Kovalev and Anya Garnis from Season 3. Nine dancers from Day 1 and ten dancers from Day 2 got tickets to Vegas after the choreography round.

SCARY

Some serious scary was going on per usual, thankfully only two got shown in their entirety. They also showed some bits from others.

Cole Clemmons – He says he thinks it is important to be different...this became frighteningly apparent. It was a strange spoken word vogueing montage sort of thing. Not even dancing, awkward Performance Art. Silence in the audience.

Christopher Aguilar – This dude talks the talk that usually means SCARY. He wants to make a movie called Drum Song that he will star in, reminiscent of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. He started with a flip where he landed on his knees and it looked painful. He then caused me great pain attempting to do a Fosse type Broadway routine to All That Jazz. Just AWFUL! No excuse for it. I think they were very kind in saying he needs more strength and training. I think he needed more of a wake-up call! Sadly, I see this guy coming back season after season.

Next week—Phoenix.